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New Tesla - TX registration process not ready for prime time

Tesla now has a process setup that you no longer have to take the purchase agreement to the Tax Assessor, to pay sales tax and pick up your plates. They are utilizing a third party to do it. When I picked up my MS on 5/13 it seemed like a great improvement in convenience in preparation for Model 3 deliveries. Now 6+ weeks in I am thinking this process is seriously not ready for primetime.

When I picked up my MS on 5/13 it had a Texas temp tag with an expiration of 5/31 as well as the California temp tag in the glovebox. I was told that with the new process my TX plates would be mailed to me directly. On 5/31 I removed the expired TX temp plate and put on the California temp tag like on my prior Tesla Deliveries. On June 13th, 4 weeks after deliveryI emailed my DS to ask for an update and was given a link to a Fedex tracking number which shows a label created on 5/24 and nothing shipped (?from Fremont). My DS said to watch that tracking number to see when the plates are sent out. This being in limbo is not a great process, and definitely is not the great improvement I think they were intending it to be. I was thinking my delivery paperwork should show that I paid the tax and I might be able to go down to the Tax Assessor myself and pick up the plates, but wasn't sure what would happen if I did that and then Tesla did it afterwards.

With Model 3 starting next month I would hope they get this process sorted out quickly.

I think was a matter of the bank having done enough Tesla sales to know there's a different process and offering that service to its Tesla buying customers, so it will totally depend on which lender you use. It's University Federal Credit Union out of Austin.

It was April of 2016 when I bought my S, so if Tesla is mandating a new process that may be how everyone has to do it from now on.

With the old way I had the plates the next day, with a trip to the tax office. You just have to pay the sales tax yourself and cannot include them in the financing of the car, which may be a factor for Model 3 buyers.

I talked to my Tesla guy (who is in Colorado) yesterday and asked about the new procedure of registration and plates and why it changed. He told me that so many new owners with California temp tags were being pulled over by Texas police (local and state) that Tesla was getting a black eye over it. So they now use a 3rd party company to handle the registration and Texas temp tag so people would stop getting pulled over by clueless police.

I have custom plates already ordered and waiting at the sub-courthouse but it looks like I may have no choice but to get generic plates, then go re-register my car with the custom plates. My guy is gonna ask the "DMV department" about my custom plates and whatnot, but I'm not really hopeful. The problem is I have no proof that I own those plates (other than a receipt from Myplates.com) and I was told that the sub-courthouse will only release the plates as a registration. Meaning they won't let me just pick them up and take them, even though I paid for them already.

Oh well...it's time wasted but a small price to pay I guess. Plus he said that my car was close to being shipped when I can only see that the car is "in Production". Do the Delivery Experience Specialists have more insight into where in the process the cars are or was he guessing because my car has been "in Production" for 13 days.

I never heard back about registering with custom plates and after looking at the final paperwork (delivery is this Saturday) it looks like I'm going to have to NOT disrupt their established process and let them register the car and get regular plates. I called the sub-courthouse where my custom plates are (verified that they were there) and they told me that I'd have to wait until I get my regular plates before I can transfer registration to my custom plates. That way I'm in the state system before I try to make changes. I plan on turning in the old plates at that time so I'll have to wait 30-45 days (my guess) before my Model X will have the custom plates.

I almost kind of wish they still had the old way where customers registered their own cars, but whatever.

I never heard back about registering with custom plates and after looking at the final paperwork (delivery is this Saturday) it looks like I'm going to have to NOT disrupt their established process and let them register the car and get regular plates. I called the sub-courthouse where my custom plates are (verified that they were there) and they told me that I'd have to wait until I get my regular plates before I can transfer registration to my custom plates. That way I'm in the state system before I try to make changes. I plan on turning in the old plates at that time so I'll have to wait 30-45 days (my guess) before my Model X will have the custom plates.

I almost kind of wish they still had the old way where customers registered their own cars, but whatever.

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I liked the "old school" way of doing things too. It was pretty simple. The worst part is writing that big check! Enjoy your Model X!

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